eliphas Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 A couple of stats I came across the other day which surprised me. In the last 5 years, we've played them 15 times competitively. - Drawn 5 of those games - Scored against them in 11 of those games. We've had our chances and it's not all been absolute pumpings. But the absolute pumpings live fresh in the memory usually and alongside that search for a league win against them drive the apathy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) Is this whole Thursday press conference a Kettlewell thing then? Hammell and Alexander's were usually on the Friday eh? Anyway, as far as the games against the **** go, they really just feel like necessary evils at this point although I'm not entirely surprised by the 5 draws. Either way, we beat them in the games that actually mattered (play-off and the LC semi). I'd guess that what with our 38 consecutive seasons in the top flight situation we'll have had to play them more than most over the past few decades? That said, I'm all for nostalgia and the 90s were great. Edited March 16, 2023 by capt_oats 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 27 minutes ago, capt_oats said: Is this whole Thursday press conference a Kettlewell thing then? Hammell and Alexander's were usually on the Friday eh? Anyway, as far as the games against the **** go, they really just feel like necessary evils at this point although I'm not entirely surprised by the 5 draws. Either way, we beat them in the games that actually mattered (play-off and the LC semi). I'd guess that what with our 38 consecutive seasons in the top flight situation we'll have had to play them more than most over the past few decades? That said, I'm all for nostalgia and the 90s were great. Was at every one of those and it's no surprise that for me 90's Motherwell was the best Motherwell. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) Yeah the main memory for me from 90's Motherwell against the OF is that there was never any fear going into the games. I used to go to Ibrox and Parkhead as well back then because it never had that pointless feel about it. The strange thing is that back then they both had plenty of genuinely world class players, and yet for some reason it wasn't as difficult to take points off them. The only exception to that is peak McCall era when I genuinely believe in an isolated game we were a better side than Celtic, and I was actually going to games against them not necessarily expecting to win, but confident. The difference there was that Celtic had the consistency to deliver week-in, week-out, and a squad depth without the drop-off in quality, that we didn't have. Edited March 16, 2023 by Al B 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegsjoe_mfc Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I started going to games halfway through the 1996/97 season. The first two games I was consicence of us playing Rangers were both at Ibrox - which we accumulated four points in. The title party crashing then that draw where Shivute scored. The first three times I saw us play them in the flesh we got 7 points - the draw that @capt_oats has posted above, the Willie Falconer game floating about yesterday and then Spencer's debut where we won 1-0. We then beat them in the final game of the season that followed. Safe to say my early years (playoffs and league cup semi aside) of Motherwell and Rangers games are far better than the recent ones! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I so wish we'd go to an 18 team league. I know it will never be allowed to happen but not having to play them (the OF) 4,5,6 times a season would be great. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 The first wins over the OF that I saw were late 80's (the Richard Gough OG game at Fir Park and the Bobby Russell Shimmy King game at Parkhead) - it was the point where the club first went from hanging on trying not to relegated to building something good under Tommy McClean. From the point that Cooper arrived (I still think he was the most important signing we made in my time watching us), the mentality completely changed playing against them to the point that in the 90's, you were turning up at Parkhead and Ibrox expecting to take something - and Fir Park really was a difficult place to go (and the fact that Dougie Arnott genuinely gave international defenders the absolute fear was one of the most enjoyable things in my whole time watching us). I think the worst thing about our recent games against them is the overwhelming sense of apathy that goes around them. In the 90's, a midweek league cup tie against Celtic would have been a great atmosphere and a hard game for them but this season, a smaller home crowd than you'd get against Ross County turned up, sat in silence while Celtic strolled about without being unduly hassled by a Motherwell player and got an utterly routine win - for a supporter it literally wasn't worth being there. In unapologetic Yer Da mode - I'd genuinely be happy if we just attempted to make Rangers as uncomfortable as we did with Hearts a few weeks back. If that means being physical and kicking them all over the place, so much the better TBH. They will be too good for us and will win but trying to change the mentality around these games where they actually need to work for the win would be a big change for the better. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips455 Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) The spfl admin being quite optimistic. Edited March 16, 2023 by Phillips455 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelmen Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) I get that the 90's is a fair distance to remember and I was a kid back then (12 in 91) but I don't remember them getting the north terraces. there was no segregation at that area. Amazing the difference in atmosphere between the terraces and the stands. ps i love Dougie Arnott and Tommy Coyne... Edited March 16, 2023 by steelmen 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I'm quite looking forward to Saturday but that's probably just a by-product of Kettlewell not really letting us down yet rather than any genuine belief we're going to do something. The McCall era has obviously been mentioned but I worked a lot of Saturdays during Robinson's spell and would always try and swap my shift if it meant I could get to a game against the OF at Fir Park since it always felt like we'd get a result. That's generally not been the case either before or after that wee period. I still feel Van Veen is due a goal against them though. 2-2? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 1 hour ago, steelmen said: I get that the 90's is a fair distance to remember and I was a kid back then (12 in 91) but I don't remember them getting the north terraces. there was no segregation at that area. Amazing the difference in atmosphere between the terraces and the stands. ps i love Dougie Arnott and Tommy Coyne... When I started going as a young boy - they got the entire ground apart from about a quarter of the shed. There was no segregation on our side of the fence - so it was pretty intimidating in a 20k+ crowd. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Swello said: In unapologetic Yer Da mode - I'd genuinely be happy if we just attempted to make Rangers as uncomfortable as we did with Hearts a few weeks back. If that means being physical and kicking them all over the place, so much the better TBH. They will be too good for us and will win but trying to change the mentality around these games where they actually need to work for the win would be a big change for the better. Tbh, this is kind of why I think Robinson let himself down a bit by deciding that he wanted to try and play *football* against them at FP. It seemed to largely be because he took the huff at the hammer-thrower tag he was getting as he possibly felt it was damaging the CV his Mr 20% was sending out. These were his Thunderdome results at FP against both Rangers and Celtic until the 433 sexy Motherwell era. 06/08/17: Motherwell 1 - 2 Rangers 29/11/17: Motherwell 1 - 1 Celtic 18/03/18: Motherwel 0 - 0 Celtic 31/03/18: Motherwell 2 - 2 Rangers 28/08/18 Motherwell 3 - 3 Rangers 05/12/18 Motherwell 1 - 1 Celtic Edited March 16, 2023 by capt_oats 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 The closest I've ever been to getting in an actual scrap at a game was in that 2-2 game. It was already 2-0 by the time I got to FP and the baldest Rangers da imaginable was on his way out of the ground in a huff and lost the plot at me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desp Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) 27 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said: The closest I've ever been to getting in an actual scrap at a game was in that 2-2 game. It was already 2-0 by the time I got to FP and the baldest Rangers da imaginable was on his way out of the ground in a huff and lost the plot at me. Genuinely, why are so many Rangers bald and fat? It's remarkable Edited March 16, 2023 by Desp 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 48 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said: The closest I've ever been to getting in an actual scrap at a game was in that 2-2 game. It was already 2-0 by the time I got to FP and the baldest Rangers da imaginable was on his way out of the ground in a huff and lost the plot at me. The Rangers fans around me in the 3-3 Peter Hartley game were furious. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RostokMcSpoons Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) I suspect his realistic thinking about the game (basically - they've got too much quality for a straight fight - it's a free hit, we'll approach it differently from other matches) might not go down so well on SO. But I think it's fair enough. He's still talking about 'wanting to compete', hopefully a bit of ... Edited March 16, 2023 by RostokMcSpoons 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnderooMFC Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 idk when I started going to games. 90-something. First related pictures I have was from a PotY in '97 so maybe that season or just before. Probably would have been at that 2-1 game posted from '98. But interesting to note from the commentary, Rangers 'needed' to win as they'd drawn their last three with Hearts, Kilmarnock and Dundee. Games against the Mold Firm clearly would've had a better chance of getting something at least. Nowadays that run and defeat by us would've prompted a spraypaint banner in the carpark from the bhears. As for Saturday, part of me wants to get stuck in to them. I'm not saying hack their legs off (though I might shout it at 12.30 on Sat) but get in their faces and close people down. Too many cooks spoil the broth when it comes to 11 players in the box. They're used to people camping in and having 80-yards to pass around willy-nilly until they can pick their angle. They're not always used to being under pressure. They're human and they make mistakes too. We'll probably get beat anyway. Might as well say f**k it and get in aboot them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 MOH has signed a 2 year extension at St Mirren. Robinson will probably have him on about 5 grand a week. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 This is mildly amusing as presumably Hammell actually signed Butcher to play in midfield. Quote Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit of Rangers, the 32-year-old said: “It’s a position I would like to carry on playing. It’s where I see myself for the next few years. “I do enjoy playing midfield and I am a player who will play anywhere that can help the team but it’s something I have really settled into and something I really enjoy doing. So hopefully I can continue playing there. “I played in a back three when I was at United, on the right side, and now I’m at the middle. I’m just being back there and playing there and organising people.” Link It feels like there's a definite irony in there that the guy who was signed to fix our midfield has ended up fixing our defence (so far). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapowzer Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 22 minutes ago, capt_oats said: This is mildly amusing as presumably Hammell actually signed Butcher to play in midfield. It feels like there's a definite irony in there that the guy who was signed to fix our midfield has ended up fixing our defence (so far). Does he have a twin? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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